


Shadows

by something_else



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bullying, Friends to Lovers, Late night talks, M/M, Minor Anxiety, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, dreams about the actual events, how do tags, only once though, this is a shadow AU i came up with at like 11 pm, this is my first work on here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2018-12-02 18:05:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11514636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/something_else/pseuds/something_else
Summary: “Dio mio; here!!”Will actually jumped this time. He looked down to his shadow, which stretched from his right side. However his shadow was definitely not his shadow. Instead of short curls, his shadow’s hair had short straight hair. The shadow also seemed to be wearing a t-shirt, in contrast to Will’s tank top.Will yelped. “What the-?!”“Hey, hey, keep it down. Don't attract any stupid atten—”“You’re not my shadow! Where’s my shadow?! Give it back!”The shadow sighed and appeared to facepalm. “I'm sorry, okay? I don't know how I got here or what I am, so don't ask those questions. And no, I don't know what happened to your shadow.”~Will's shadow one day starts talking to him. Will names him Nico di Angelo and befriends him. They grow up together, but nothing remains forever.(Shadow!Nico and Normal!Will)I don't know how to summarize.





	1. Age Five

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first work on here.  
> There's not much for the first few chapters but it'll pick up ;)

Children burst through the doors, yelling and cheering. Today was playground day. They sprinted towards the monkey bars, swings, slides and bouncy pads, trying to get there first before their friends. Teachers sauntered behind them, keeping a watchful eye on the young ones.

One child, however, did not run to the playground. Instead, he sat about twenty yards away with his back against the school, hugged his legs to his chest and pouted, lazily watching the other children run around like ants.

It wasn't his fault that Conlan Anderson’s ears bled. He was trying to help his teacher simmer down the room because the kids were being too loud. All he did was whistle! He was just trying to be helpful! But evidently, no. Poor Conlan's ears couldn't take the sheer loudness of his whistle. The whole room covered their ears and cowered, yelling for him to stop. Once he was done, Conlan’s ears started to bleed, and his classmates stared at him in fear. His teacher scolded him for making such a disruption and made him sit during recess for a week. Even worse, Conlan, with his ears stuffed with cotton balls, kicked him in the bathroom during break until he fell over. He had to go to the nurse to get band-aids, but all the nurse had was the Hello Kitty brand. He didn't have a problem with it, Hello Kitty was awesome. Unfortunately, his classmates found this to be extraordinarily hilarious and made fun of him for it.

So in short, Will was not having a good day. He sighed loudly and rested his forehead on his knees.

“...ello?” The voice was so faint, Will almost didn't hear it. His head perked up and looked around.

“Hello?” It came louder this time, as if in a not-so-hushed whisper. Will looked around again, but still saw no one facing him. His teachers had their backs to him and were twenty yards away.

“ _Idiota!_ Here!!” Now it was a normal speaking level. Will almost jumped out of his skin at the harsh tone. The voice came from his right. He looked in the direction, but only saw the empty soccer field.

“ _Dio mio_ ; here!!”

Will actually jumped this time. He looked down to his shadow, which stretched from his right side. However his shadow was definitely not his shadow. Instead of short curls, his shadow’s hair had short straight hair. The shadow also seemed to be wearing a t-shirt, in contrast to Will’s tank top.

Will yelped. “What the-?!”

“Hey, hey, keep it down. Don't attract any stupid atten—”

“You’re not my shadow! Where’s my shadow?! Give it back!”

The shadow sighed and appeared to facepalm. “I'm sorry, okay? I don't know how I got here or what I am, so don't ask those questions. And no, I don't know what happened to your shadow.”

Will immediately felt bad for snapping. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just got scared for a second.”

“It's okay.”

Neither of them said anything for a few seconds. Will felt a little awkward, so he broke the silence. “So, are you, like, my shadow come to life, or are you living in my shadow and now it's yours?”

The shadow leaned against the wall. Well, it appeared to, but since it was a shadow, Will couldn't really tell. “I don't know,” it said. “I just...feel like I woke up. I’m sorry.”

Will shook his head. “No, no, it's okay. Do you at least have a name?”

The shadow’s head turned, as if to face him. “Maybe...I don't know.”

“Aw, come on. Everyone and everythin’s got a name.”

The shadow pondered for a few seconds. “How about just ‘Shadow’? That's nice and simple.”

“Too simple,” Will said. “An’ boring.” He took a few seconds to think. What to name, what to name…

“Nnnnn...eeee...co...Nico!”

“Nico?”

“Yeah! And your last name...how about di Angelo?”

The shadow chuckled. “Doesn't ‘di Angelo’ mean angel?”

Will grinned. “Yep!”

The shadow scoffed. “What makes me an angel, eh? What if I’m an evil monster?”

Will shook his head and tisked. “Nuh-uh, no way. I think you’re a guardian angel, or maybe I'm, like, your final test to becomin’ an angel. I dunno. So, you're di Angelo.”

The shadow appeared to smile. He hugged his knees to his chest. “Nico...di Angelo...huh. Okay, I’ll be Nico di Angelo. I’m your Nico di Angelo.”

Will beamed. He giggled happily and bounced his legs. “Cool! Now, are we friends? I don't got any, and it would be really cool if my shadow’s my friend.”

Nico nodded. “Yeah! We’re friends!”

A fist bump and a cheer expelled from the giddy blond. His first friend!

Maybe today wasn't such a bad day.


	2. Age seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night talks with your Angel? Wouldn't have it any other way.

Naomi Solace planted a kiss on her son’s forehead as she tucked the bed covers under his chin. “Goodnight, love.”

  
“Goodnight, mom,” he said.

  
“Are you sure you don't want me to turn off the lamp?”

  
Will nodded. “It’s my night light! It scares off the monsters.”

  
Naomi smiled. She pinched his cheek. “Honey, you're the only seven year old I know who reads advanced medical books and needs a night light.”

  
Will pouted. “Angel protects me when there’s a light,” he explained. “Angel’s cool.”

  
She sighed. Her son’s only friend, ‘Angel’, was imaginary and she needed him to grow out of it. “Well, tell Angel that she—”

  
“He’s a he, mom.”

  
“—that he better step it up, be-cause-aaAAAAHH!”

  
Will screamed as his mom swooped in close and tickled him nefariously. He thrashed around, begging for her to stop between laughs, and when she finally did, he gasped for breath. “Mo-om! Uhg!”

  
She laughed as Will threw the covers over his head. “Goodnight, honeypie,” she called as she left his room.

  
“Night, mom!”

  
Once he heard the door softly click shut, Will threw the covers off and moved the bedside lamp to the bed. He placed it behind him and scooted to the edge of his bed, creating a black silhouette on the wall. His shadow rippled until it took a different shape. He waved.

  
“Hey Nico!”

  
“’Sup, honeypie?”

  
Will flushed. “Oh, stop it. Come on.”

  
Nico laughed. “Sorry, sorry. It's a cute nickname, it really is.”

  
“Doesn't mean you get to say it.”

 

“Haha.”

  
A second of silence fell over the two. Two seconds. Three seconds. Four. Five. Six. Seven. _Awkward_ . 

  
“Hey, question?” Will asked. 

  
“Yeah?” 

  
“Was it you who made Ursula Wiggins trip face-first into that plate of cupcakes?” 

  
Nico looked off to the side. Will went on. 

  
“You know, right after she called me a freak? She wasn't around anyone when she tripped, and somehow her shoelaces got tied together. She fell into Miss Tate while she was holding that plate of cupcakes. And then the cupcakes went everywhere and Ursula—” 

  
“Yeah, that was me,” Nico admitted. “I was close enough to tie the shadow of her shoelaces together.” 

  
“Oh.” 

  
“Are you mad at me?”

  
  
Will shook his head. “No, not really. I was looking forward to those cupcakes, but seeing Ursula covered in green and yellow frosting, looking like she puked on herself was kinda funny.” 

  
“Eww, gross!” Nico gagged. 

  
“But...” Will hesitated a second. “Why did you do it?” 

  
Nico faced Will again. “She called you a freak, Will. She was bullying you. And–and last week? She tore up your macaroni face paper!” 

  
“And she called me dirt-face,” Will added. 

  
“I couldn't let her just do that! I didn't want a bully to bully my friend, so I took the chance when I saw it.” 

  
Will smiled a bit when Nico called him his friend. “It was a little mean, but I guess she deserved it.” 

  
“Yeah, she did!” Nico exclaimed. 

  
“Hey, Nico?” 

  
“Hm?” 

  
Will stood up and walked over to the wall. He rested his head where Nico’s forehead would be. “Thanks for getting back at her for me. You’re a great friend.” 

  
Nico sighed, sounding relieved. “No problem.” 

  
They remained like that for about a minute until Nico spoke up. “Okay, get to bed. You have that quiz tomorrow on addition.” 

  
Will groaned. “I don't wan-na. I wanna stay up with you!” 

  
Nico shook his head. “Off to bed, mister.” 

  
Will grumbled something inaudible but shuffled back to his bed, moved the lamp back to his bedside table, and got back under his covers. He saw Nico shift to his other wall, also under covers. 

  
“Goodnight, honeypie,” Nico said. “Sleep well.” 

  
Heat crept into Will’s cheeks as he chuckled to himself. “Goodnight, Angel.”

 

______

 

 

Will startled awake. He was gasping for air, covered in cold sweat. The blankets felt like lead, anchoring him; trapping him.

 

He darted for the lamp, flicking it on. His shadow cast on the wall, quickly changing form.

 

“Will? Why are you—”

 

“Nightmares.”

 

“Oh. ‘M sorry.”

 

Silence.

 

Will regained his normal breathing pace, then flopped back onto the bed. “Nightmares stink.”

 

Nico shifted, propping himself up with his elbows. “You have them about every night. Even when you don't wake up, you toss and turn and cry and stuff.”

 

The blond boy looked at the wall with a puzzled expression. “You watch me sleep?”

 

The shadow boy tensed for a moment. “I-uh-um...sometimes. When the moonlight comes through the window, I can come out, but you're always asleep.” He rested back down on the shadow bed. “It’s kind of frustrating…”

 

“What is?” Will asked.

 

Nico sighed. “Nothing. Forget it.”

 

Will pouted. “Tell me.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“I won't go back to sleep unless you tell me.”

 

The shadow boy groaned. “Watching you have a nightmare, dummy! I wish I could just shake you awake and… you know, help. It’s frustrating being helpless like that.”

 

Will chuckled. “Don't worry about it. I can handle my nightmares.”

 

“What are they about, anyway?” Nico asked. “If you don't mind me asking.”

 

Will stared at the ceiling, trying to form words. “It’s...really weird. I think I’m on a bridge; like a really big bridge for cars and stuff.” He runs his hands down his face. “And there’s a lot of other kids. And then these monsters come up and everyone starts fighting. I’m running around without anything, but whenever I touch a kid on the shoulder, their injuries disappear and they keep fighting. Then these zombies and skeletons pop up, along with…”

 

He tried to remember the next part. Why was he forgetting? It was always the same nightmare over and over.

 

“Along with?” Nico asked.

 

“Some kid. He’s just like the other kids but he just...stands out, you know?” Will says. “Like I don't notice him at first, but as soon as I do I can't lose sight of him. Mostly because he’s summoning the undead but you know.”

 

Nico hums in agreement. “He sounds pretty cool.”

 

“Not as cool as you, Angel.” Will said.

 

“Will?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Go to sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nico's probably blushing ^^  
> -  
> I'll have the next chapter up eventually.  
> Tell me how I'm doing! Thanks <3


	3. Age Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> whoops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey sorry for the weird formatting at the end; for some reason the line spacing gets messed up but oh well I guess ~_~

The blond boy skidded on the ground. A small patch of skin on the back on his calf suddenly felt raw and warm; probably a new scar-to-be. He looked up, whimpering. The raw skin burned like no tomorrow.   
  
The bully laughed. “He’s crying! Oh my gods, do you think he peed his pants?! He probably did, didn't he!”   
  
His cronies laughed with him. Will gritted his teeth, pushed himself up and charged the other boy, screaming bloody murder. The bully dodged, planting a fist into Will’s stomach, and he doubled over and collapsed. The bully and his friends laughed like hyenas.   
  
“Why me?!” Will shouted. “Huh?! What did I ever do to you?!”   
  
The bully grabbed the hem of his shirt and yanked him upwards. He fisted the cloth and said “Because you're a  _ freak _ , Will Solace. You have no friends and you talk to your shadow like a  _ freak _ !”   
  
Will tried to pull the bully off of him, but his strength was far below the other boy’s. “So you gotta beat me up because of that?! Or–or–or am I just a way to release your feelin’s, ah?!” He stopped for a second, and suddenly became concerned. “Wait, do you have something going on at home? You want to talk about it?”   
  
The bully grunted and threw Will against the wall of the school. The blond’s head felt heavy as his vision flickered from blurry to extra blurry. He wondered if he got a concussion as he sank to the ground.   
  
Someone called his name. Again. A couple times. He wanted to respond, but he was just so tired. And dizzy.  _ Oh, I’m definitely concussed _ .   
  
“Will!”   
  
_ I’m here, I’m here. I’m okay, just tired _ .   
  
“Will! Please, stay with me!!”   
  
_ Nico? _   
  
The dizziness stopped for a few seconds, just enough to see the sight in front of him. The bully’s arm was back, as if he was about to punch Will square in the nose. His face was blanche and terrified, his friends calling out to him, asking what was wrong, and he could only respond in shaky breaths.   
  
“I–I can't move!” he cried. “I just can't move!”   
  
Will’s eyes dropped to the ground, left of where the bully stood. He gasped.   
  
Nico was holding the bully’s shadow back. His hands appeared to hold the bully’s arm while his legs were keeping his feet in place.   
  
Will tried to stand up, but the dizziness came back, along with nausea. At the same time, he heard a teacher yell and footsteps growing closer.   
  
He gave in and blacked out.   
  
-   
  
“-ill?”   
  
His chest hurt. So did his abdomen.   
  
“-ill!”   
  
Who was calling him? Where was he?   
  
“ _ Idiota _ , wake up!”   
  
Definitely Nico.   
  
“I’m up, I’m up,” Will said. He sat up from whatever he was lying on. His vision slowly became clearer, and with a gentle rub of his eyes, he could see again. He was in the nurse’s office, laying a cot. Sunshine spilled through the window next to him. He turned to the other wall and saw Nico, sitting cross-legged on the other cot.   
  
“About dang time,” he said.   
  
Will groaned. “How long was I out?”   
  
“Hm...about five hours.”   
  
Will inhaled sharply. “ _ What?! _ ”   
  
Nico laughed. “I'm kidding. Not even half an hour, dumb-dumb. You passed out as soon as a teacher came over.”   
  
The blond sighed. He rapped his knuckles against his forehead, trying to beat the pain in his forehead with more pain. “What happened before that? I saw you—”   
  
Nico’s figure shifted. “Yeah, you saw me. You have eyes and twenty-twenty vision.”   
  
“Nico, please. You were holding that boy back, weren’t you? You held his shadow in place.”   
  
“Stop hitting yourself,” Nico said, lying down on the cot. Will dropped his hand. “But yeah, I did stop him. And I pushed the teacher’s shadow around to see you,” he continued.   
  
Will smiled. He opened his mouth to thank him, but Nico cut him off.   
  
“I should've stopped them earlier,” the shadow boy said, and edge in his voice. “He...called you a  _ freak _ . He punched you. You’re concussed because of him! None of this would've happened if I—”   
  
“Nico,” Will stopped him. “No. Don't blame yourself. Don't ever blame yourself. You did as much as you could, and I’m grateful for that.”   
  
Nico shot up. “But I—”   
  
“Nope!”   
  
“Will, let me—”   
  
“Nuh-uh.”

“Will! Stop—”   
  
“Blah, blah, blah, la la la!”   
  
“ _ Will! _ ”   
  
Will laughed. Nico sighed and laughed too. They laughed for a while until Will started coughing.    
  
“Hey, hey, don't die on me,” Nico jeered.

 

Will punched his chest. “Not today, Angel. Not today.”

 

Nico gave a small laugh. “Huh.”

 

“What?”

 

Nico waved him off. “It's nothing.”

 

Will shook his head lightly, not too hard so that it wouldn't hurt. “Tell me.”

 

“Well...you gave me the name ‘Nico’, but you always refer to me as ‘Angel’ when you talk about me to other people. I just...I kind of like that.”

 

Will blushed a little. “‘Cause you’re my angel, Angel.”

 

The shadow boy shifted. “You can't tell, but I’m smiling.”

 

Will lied down and closed his eyes. “’M glad.”

 

“You going back to sleep?” Nico asked.

 

Exhaustion was piling up. Mental and physical. “Yeah. Sorry.”

 

“It’s okay. Rest up, Will.”

 

As he drifted off to sleep, Will said “Goodnight, my angel.”

 

-

 

When Will woke up, he was sitting in the back seat of his mom’s car. His head was resting against the passenger door. He wanted to sit up properly to avoid a neck ache later, but he had no strength to. He stared out the window instead.

 

“Hey, you awake?” a soft whisper came from beside him.

 

His eyes shifted to the empty seat beside him. His shadow had morphed into Nico.

 

“Yeah, I’m awake,” Will said softly.

 

“You feeling okay?” Nico asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Good.”

 

The shadow boy didn’t say anything further. Will felt somewhat appreciative of that. Nico could’ve said anything at all: a promise to take revenge, an apology about not defending him sooner. But he didn’t. He knew Will wouldn’t let him.

 

A strange urge sparked in Will’s chest. He wanted to  _ do _ something. He tried to ignore it, but the impulse was like an incurable itch.

 

His eyes dropped to Nico’s hand. He wanted to reach out and hold it.

 

“Nico?” he breathed.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Never leave me. Please.”

 

“Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heh  
> sorry for the long absence  
> (Happy birthday Percy!)


	4. Age eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take me back to the basics and my simple life,  
> Tell me all of the things that make you feel at ease.  
> (Ease by Troye Sivan)

Will pointed left. “That one looks like a rabbit.” He pointed right. “And that one’s a bug.” Back left. “Robot.”

Nico nodded. “The one next to the robot looks like a turtle. And left of the turtle...looks like a...uh...a troll!”

Both boys laughed.

Cloud gazing had become a new way to kill time. Homework was a breeze for Will, as he was the smartest kid in his class, but that also meant that when he was done with chores, he’d be bored out of his mind. He couldn't talk to Nico in front of his family, they’d think he was mental; but he also didn't want to slip away from his family just to talk to Nico and waste away the time he had with them. So, Will found a way to split his time. The hill in the backyard was a perfect cloud viewing point and caught the sun at a great angle for Nico to appear. Nico couldn't point out the clouds he saw, of course, but Will always knew which one he meant. Once his dad came home from work, he’d spend the evening with his family until bedtime, where he could turn on his lamp and talk with Nico until he got sleepy.

Nico suddenly exclaimed “Ooh! Ooh! See that one, the one next to the robot?!”

The blond squinted. “Yeah, just right of it?”

“Yeah!” Nico said. He sounded excited. “It looks like a skull!”

It did. The cloud looked as if someone had taken cotton balls and glued a fuzzy skull into the sky. “Woah, cool!”

“Haha, yeah.”

Will pointed right. “There, that one looks like a cat-phone. Like, a cat morphed with a phone.”

Nico sucked his teeth. “Yikes.”

Will pointed farther right and snorted. “Ha, that one looks like a butt.”

Nico snorted. “You have a dirty mind. That’s obviously a drum.”

“No, it’s definitely a butt.”

“Drum!”

“Butt!”

“Drum!!”

“Butt!!”

“Drum-butt!”

They burst into giggles, slowly turning into howling laughter. Will held his sides in slight pain. He laughed until he realized he was the only one laughing. He looked over at Nico, who looked like he was looking back at him.

“What?”

“Nothing,” the shadow boy said.

“Tell me,” Will said, propping himself up with his elbows.

Nico seemed to be thinking about something. He bounced his leg subconsciously. Finally he spoke, “You have a cute laugh, that's all.”

Will blushed. “O-oh. Thanks.”

Nico looked away. Will did too, hoping his face wasn't as red as it felt.

“I know you can't see, but if it makes it a little less awkward, I’m blushing too,” Nico said in a small voice.

Will poked Nico where his stomach would be. “Of course I can't see, stupidhead.”

“Hey!”

“I’d bet you have a cute blushy face. I’d love to squeeze it,” Will said, smirking.

Nico groaned. “Sounds like something your aunt would do.”

“Oh, I’d do all of the aunt stuff. Mess up your hair, pinch your cheek, the big kiss on your cheek, awkwardly long hugs—”

“Oh, _sta 'zitto_ , Will. Now I’m blushing harder.”

The blond boy smiled and laid back down on the grass. He let the absence of talking be filled with the wind whooshing through the blades of green grass. The wind chimes on the back porch, ringing out a rhythmless tune as the centerpiece clanged against the metal rods. Occasional bird chirps came in high notes, complimenting the wind chimes, but so out of the melody. Will liked this, he liked it a lot. Just lying there, letting the world go by with him and Nico watching for a little while.

It made him a little sad. He wished there was something more, a little something more. Maybe it was the windchimes to stay in tune. Or maybe the birds to stay in harmony. Maybe even more clouds, or just a longer day to watch them.

He moved his hand over a little to where Nico’s would be. He heard the other boy’s breath hitch a little.

“Hey, Nico?”

“Yeah?” he whispered.

“That cloud, the one next to the one that kind of looks like a fish-rat?”

Nico looked around. “To the left or above it?”

“Right of it,” Will said.

“Oh...okay, I see it now. What about it?”

“What does it look like to you?”

One more, Nico’s breath hitched. “A heart.”

 

\--------

 

Nightmares sucked. A lot.

Will woke up, gasping for air. His skin was doused in cold sweat and his head felt like it was going to burst at any second.

Thunder crashed outside, followed by a streak of lightning that illuminated his room. He shrieked and hid under the blankets.

The storm continued to rage on. So did Will's anxiety. Slowly, he lowered the blanket and peered over to his nightstand. It read 3:38 AM.

 _BOOM_.

Will darted for the lamp. It flicked on, lighting up the room. He dove for his shadow, blinking back tears as he pressed his back to the wall.

"Will?" Nico's voice called out. "It's really early, why are you up?"

Will let his staggered breathing be an answer. Nico seemed to understand.

"Okay, it's okay. Just breathe, slowly, with me okay? In...out..."

Will struggled to copy. He wished Nico was there to hold him.

Another crash of thunder rattled the house. Will screamed, hyperventilating now.

"Will? Will!"

Nico's voice seemed far away. Under water. Somewhere just _not here, oh gods please help me where are you please help me I can't breathe—_

" _Will_."

The voice sounded close. Soft. Reassuring. Accented.

" _Sono qui. Starai bene_."

Nico.

" _Respirare_."

The shadow boy began to take deep, slow breaths for Will to follow. Will closed his eyes and copied. His heartrate slowed back to normal, and his headache felt practically gone.

"Are you feeling better?"

Will wiped his eyes. "Y-yeah. Sorry about that."

"It's okay. Was it the nightmares or the storm?"

"Both."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could be there in your nightmares and make 'me less nightmare-y."

Will chuckled. "Funny thing. This one was about losing you."

Nico's breath caught in his throat. "O-oh?"

"I won't get into it, though."

"Fair enough."

Will leaned his head back to rest against the wall. The rain was starting to even out, and thunder was sounding farther away.

"You should go back to bed," Nico said. "School tomorrow."

Will yawned. "But I like taking with you better than sleep _or_ school."

"Oh don't make me blush this early in the morning, Will. _I_ won't be able to sleep."

Will chuckled again and stood up. "Fine, fine. Goodnight, Nico."

"Goodnight, Will."

"Oh, wait, um..."

"Yeah?"

Will fisted the cloth of his nightshirt at the bottom. A blush was forming on his cheeks.

"Thanks...for calming me down and stuff. I couldn't have done it myself."

Nico inhaled softly. "No problem. That's what friends are for, right?"

Right.

Friends.

_Friends._

"Yeah," Will muttered.

"Well...goodnight, _Will_ ," Nico said, laying his Italian accent on his name. It sounded more like 'Weel' than 'Will', but it was cute as heck.

Will climbed into bed. "Goodnight, Angel," he said.

He flicked off the lamp and slept dreamlessly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYS I'VE RETURNED!!!  
> Hopefully I should have the next few chapters come in soon so look forward to those!

**Author's Note:**

> AYEEEE  
> Slow? A little.  
> Angst? Will arrive soon.
> 
> I'll probably post the next chapter sometime next week, I'm working out the little stuff n' things.
> 
> Tell me how I'm doing! Thanks <3


End file.
